Hey Babe Hey!

Happy Labor Day! Tonight the hubs & I are bringing you a quick and easy recipe tonight featuring our favorite meat products:

Mighty Spark Food Co.

#BiteBackHunger #SparkAMovement #WinWin

This post is sponsored by Mighty Spark Food Co., but all content and opinions are 100% our own! Thank you SO much, Mighty Spark!

Thomas & I had so much fun making this meal together, especially since it took TEN MINUTES, not to mention: the final dish resulted in EIGHT meals for us to eat on this week! We had two for dinner tonight and have already made a major dent in our meal prep for the rest of the week! I’m all about leftovers, but I reeeeally can’t wait to eat this meal again and again.

Now, ya’ll already know we love Mighty Spark – we featured a fun recipe with the same meat we’ll be using tonight: be sure to try our Tasty Mini Thai Tacos Recipe HERE!

If you stay tuned to my Instagram Stories, AKA where I share sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes, and TONS of #RealLife then you already know:
we un-boxed the lovely cooler of small batch meats Mighty Spark sent with you, then took it to a vote to let YOU CHOOSE which meat you wanted us to create a new Mighty Spark recipe with! No surprise that Mighty Spark’s Sweet Thai-Style Seasoned Ground Chicken was the crowd favorite again!

I actually loooove that we’ll have 2 recipes on Blush & Bourbon with the same key meat ingredient! I love when a fashion staple can be worn multiple ways, and Mighty Spark is definitely a constant staple in our fridge….. why not style the Thai Chicken multiple ways, too?! 😉

Plus, the Thai Chicken double-feature will allow me & the hubs to create even more recipe content for you! If you’re like us and always looking for affordable, ethical pre-seasoned meats you can snag at your local grocer or farmer’s market, then keep reading for more about the Mighty Spark brand + our 10-minute recipe!

Before I dive into the recipe breakdown, I have to mention the Mighty Spark customer service and product delivery is always incredible. I talk a lot on the blog about how important it is for our little fambam to spend our hard-earned money on healthy, local products with a cause, and Mighty Spark makes that so easy to do, because……

Mighty Spark is both.

Mighty Spark launched a #BiteBackHunger Initiative in April 2014, a program that donates one meal to a hungry child for every Mighty Spark item purchased. Can we just take a second to let that sink in……?

How amazing is that?!

You’re going to buy meat at the grocery store every week, regardless. And if you live in the Southeastern United States like we do, you probably live close to a Publix (we’re surrounded by them, actually). Why not make life easier by buying pre-seasoned, top quality meat that gives back by feeding a child in need?

Through its network of charity partners, Mighty Spark hosts meal-packing events in neighborhoods nationwide, sparking a movement that has resulted in millions of meals donated to date. In 2017 alone, Mighty Spark donated a whopping 1,170,200 meals to hungry children; more on that HERE.

Let’s dive in to our super-easy 10-minute Thai pasta recipe. I’m telling ya, the fact that Mighty Spark’s Thai Chicken comes ground and small batch pre-seasoned makes life SO much easier….. and SOOOO much tastier!

By the way, if you’re dying to know more about our cooler un-boxing, head to my Instagram page @misses.blush and check out the Recipes Highlight! I’ve saved a look inside the cooler delivery, dry ice to keep it fresh all day included.

To make our 10-Minute Thai Chicken Pasta, you’ll need all the items pictured here, which I’ll list below:

1 pckg Small Batch Sweet Thai-Style Chicken
1 pckg Linguine or Spaghetti
1 bag Shredded Green & Red Cabbage
1 bag Matchstick Carrots
4 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Honey
1 teaspoon Peanut Butter
Fresh Garlic & Ginger (to taste)

10-Minute Thai Chicken Pasta Recipe:

Bring water to a boil in pot while sprinkling in sea salt
Add spaghetti or linguine noodles + let boil 6 min. (or 1 min. less than whatever the packaging says)
Grease pan with olive oil and add Mighty Spark Sweet Thai-Style Chicken
Brown meat while noodles soften; strain noodles and use pan to cook veggies
Stir veggies while adding in soy sauce, honey, peanut butter, garlic, & ginger
Once veggies are wilted but still have most of their color, add noodles back into the pot and stir together
Add Mighty Spark Sweet Thai-Style Chicken in and stir until ingredients are blended together
Serve and ENJOY!

Cook Time: 10 Minutes / Serves: 8

Be sure to head over to @MightySparkFood on Instagram to see what they’re up to and give them a follow!

If you’ve tried Mighty Spark products, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! I’d also love to know what meat you’d like to see us cook up a recipe with next! Be sure to check out my Instagram stories and sound off in the comments so we can give ya whatcha want!

Hope you and yours had a lovely Labor Day, babe. Thanks for stopping by Blush & Bourbon, and until next time…..

Cheers!

xoxo,
Elle

Are we best friends yet?!

Hello, Beautiful!

Let’s talk how to spend the ultimate Galentine’s Day with your besties, shall we?

Photo Credz: Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls organization.

I’m so excited to share this gorgeous Galentine’s Day styled shoot with you tonight on Blush + Bourbon! This shoot has been bouncing around in the creative corners in my brain since the end of October – early November, and “I am so excited to see it finally come to life” is the understatement of the century! This styled shoot wouldn’t have been possible without some seriously amazing women, including:

[ the setting] (the sweetest local boutique called Girl Tribe Co. that is actually so much more than a boutique)
[ the photographer ] (Catrina Earls Photography, moon of my life, my sun and stars, etc. etc.)
[ the Galentines ] (I wouldn’t have wanted to sip champs or stuff my face with donuts with anyone else to be quite honest)
[the jewelry] (Roma Designer Jewelry has THE coolest, most unique story behind their incredible Roman Glass designs, but more on that in the third post in this series!)

It was so important to me to do a Galentine’s Day series for the blog because I love the idea of setting a day aside that’s all about celebrating the women in our lives who, after all, help shape us into the women we are by inspiring us, encouraging us, and overall quite literally being the best damn friends a gal can find on a daily basis (even when we’re hangry or hang with dumb boys).

The History of Galentine’s Day

Ladies Celebrating Ladies.

In its original American NBC broadcast on February 11, 2010, the “Parks and Recreation” episode titled “Galentine’s Day” was seen by 4.98 million households. Thanks to Leslie Knope’s amazingness, Galentine’s Day has since transcended from the television screen into everyday culture, marked by a nonofficial holiday on February 13th. Galentine’s Day is celebrated as a day for “ladies celebrating ladies.”

While Galentine’s Day may have started out with Amy Poehler’s NBC character going to brunch with her female friends, February 13th can be – and is – celebrated by so many people around the world, not just fans of the show. To me, Galentine’s Day is so much more than just a plot point in an episode (but to be perfectly honest of course I’m watching THE “Galentine’s Day” Parks & Rec episode right now, duh).

#GalentinesDay trends every year on February 13th all over social media, and businesses like Target even promote the holiday and sell Galentine’s Day-themed products (go check out the Target dollar section ASAP for so many of the details you’ll see in this series!). Ultimately, February 13th is meant to be a beautiful celebration of friendship to be celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day. Because sisters before misters, period.

Keep scrolling for Part 1 of this 3-Part Galentine’s Day Series and stay tuned to the blog throughout February for the rest of this fun series! Be sure to subscribe to the blog for updates so you never miss a post, tips on sales, or giveaways!

Galentine’s Day Series Part 1: Galentine’s Day the Girl Tribe Way

Saturday’s can be for the boys. That’s fine. Because . . .

Sundays are for the girls!!!!!

Need Galentine’s Day plans? Local to the Charlotte area? Well, hi, Beautiful! If we’re already gal pals, I can’t wait to celebrate you this Galentine’s Day! If we’re not already friends, I’d loooove to meet you, you poetic land mermaid.

Either way . . .

Come join me and some pretty darn incredible women at the second annual Girl Tribe Co Valentine’s Day Pop-Up event on Sunday, February 11th, 2018!

What’s So Special About It?
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Rett Syndrome Research Trust – a cause that is dear to the hearts of the owners of Sugar Creek Brewing.

S U P P O R T I N G C H A R I T Y
For this Girl Tribe Co Pop-Up Event, the Girl Tribe team is presenting the first-ever Girl Tribe Creatives Workshop – with artist Bree Stallings! This means there are two different opportunities to catch a Watercolor Calligraphy Class in the event room at Sugar Creek! First class starts at 12PM and second starts at 1PM! Best part? All items needed will be provided with registration fee!

D A N C E x Y O G A C O M B O C L A S S
You can even start off the day with THE JAM: CLT Dance (Drop it LOW class) at 11:00 mixed with a slow cool down yoga sesh by NC Yoga Bar! Pro tip: bring your own yoga mat and a water if you sign up for this part of the pop-up event!

S H O P T H E B E S T F E M A L E V E N D O R S in the QC
Shop with Girl Tribe Co’s favorite local female-powered vendors from 11-3PM (will be open while the above classes are in session, too) and will include beer selections from Sugar Creek, snacks, fun music, and most importantly . . . GIRL TIME! Pop-up shopping is 100% FREE to attend, no purchase necessary.

What’s better than sipping champs and stuffing your face with donuts? Doing so with your girlfriends, of course!

Okay, That’s Everything I’ve Ever Wanted + More. Gimme the Deetz!
Date: Sun, February 11, 2018

Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST

Location: Sugar Creek Brewing Company

Address: 215 Southside Drive, Charlotte, NC 28217

*Tickets: CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS!

*Be sure to follow the above link to secure your ticket! Shopping is completely free, but signing up for a “free” ticket will help let all the vendors and sponsors know how many of you beauties to expect!

Except, you’re not a loser. Actually,

So there’s that.

Kisses for Ringo the Flamingo! (Props to my hubs for the cool name idea. I was calling him “Frank the Flamingo” until Thomas reminded me what a major opportunity I was missing not picking a rhyming / Beatles name like Ringo. This is why I married him.)

Hope to see you there, beautiful! If you’re local to Charlotte, I’d love to meet you and say hi, so feel free to comment me or send me a DM on Instagram if you’d like to get together – and cheers to #GirlPower – at the event!

Cheers, and until next time . . .

xo,
eg

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the incredible people who made this styled shoot dream-come-true happen for me:

Carrie & Sarah, the Creators & Founders of Girl Tribe Co. How amazing are they for letting us hang out in their store for an hour while we created this magic?! They are the very definition of women supporting women, and I absolutely adore them. (CLICK HERE to check out the Girl Tribe Co. website and CLICK HERE to follow along with the Girl Tribe Co. Instagram account!)
Catrina Earls Photography (CLICK HERE to check out Catrina’s photography website and CLICK HERE to read my full blog post featuring Catrina’s photography business!)
LauRen Merola
Sieana Robinson (CLICK HERE to check out my full blog post featuring Sieana’s business and CLICK HERE to follow along with her Instagram!)
Maryellen Hill (CLICK HERE to follow along with Maryellen’s Instagram!)
My Hubs*

*I mean, who do you think threw all these rose petals directly into LauRen’s face? Great job, T. You’re the real MVP.

In all seriousness, though, Thomas is the best Instagram husband – and the best damn husband period – in the world. He helped me every step of the way with this shoot, from loading and unloading the props to taking videos so I can share a behind-the-scenes clip with you all! I couldn’t have done it without him.